Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1887-10-20

and society man; Pat Ireland, Joe
French, Greaser Bent, my brother
Harry and myself. Our provisions
were running low. Bent had boosted
of his knowledge of the country, and,
as he stoutly asserted his ability to re-
turn in few days with supplies, was
allowed to take one of our two mules
and 60 on the search. We who
stayed agreed to leave signals for his
guidance if we moved on. Six days
passed, but Bent had not appeared.
A hungrier set seldom comes to any
table than came to that rough split
section of redwood branch, resting
on unpeelcd crotchcd sticks driven
into the ground. Standish, who was
cook that day, fourished over his head
well-polshed bone that had once be-
longed to fat porker.
Look at that, boys" said he.
"We're fiat broke on ham; the last
flour bag looks lean, the saleratus can
grins at you every time you open it,
and the pork and beans have almost
vanished"
"Ef Pat would make de bread dere
would be saleratus in de poches," said
French Joe.
Sure an whin Joe III be afther
cookin' the banes we'll sthrike 1t rich
an pibbles," said Pat. looking fiercely
at Joe.
''How far to the nearest ranchp" I
asked.
"Bent says it vas no more than ten
mile, as der crow fly" Joe answered.
''Bein' as thares niver crow amonst
us, an niver mothers son ave us TUX
to the fyin' business, there's no tillin'
Their length ave Their same tin mile. "
said Pat.
That's the wisest speech you ever
made" said Harry.
They may be good deal longer
miles for us than for Bent" said /,
flor we'll have to make our own
trail"
Il believe Bent's gone back on us,
said Standish. IF he has, what next:
It's getting late in the season. What's
rain down below may be snow up
here / wouldn't risk being showed
up here, if 1 had all Quincy market
to fall back on. If we don't care tc
leave our bones here, we must roll VI
our blankets and vamos."
Lets give Bent one more day,
said Harry, "If he don't come by this
time tomorrow, then Ill say vamos. '
I'm wild ye," put in Pat.
As there were no dissenting voices
the question was considered settled
While this conversation had been go
ing on, we were all drinking coffee
from tin cups, and with bluntet
knives, usually carried in our belts
eating fried ham and saleratus bread
that Standish had mixed in the pan HI
had used many time before for wash
ing gold.
Evening came but no Bent In tn
morning our preparations for depart
ure were quickly made.
"How about the trailP" Harry asked
Here's my compass" Standisl
answered, drawing pocket compass
from The folds of his grimy, fades
blouse. .And Browser's as good as Al
Indian any day."
So we started; each one of us, II W
had been seen in the streets of any cit,
but San Francisco, would have beel
taken for walking exhibition of pow
erty. Our broad brimmed hats wer
rusty and weather-beaten; our ono
red shirts were many colored; tn
leather belts, that held our mud-be
spattered trowsers, were mud-be-spat
tered too; our thick shoes orlong boot
bore samples from various diggings
Yet each man carried his bag OF gol
swung on his rifle, over his shoulder
with his washing pan and his blanket
On Browser's back were spades, PICK
axes, sharp crow-bars, hatehets an
what provisions remained.
Standish had general knowledg
of the country, acquired from books
when he was considering whether
give up his sure salary for the chance
Of = fcrt-ne. to be made BY luck